Mixed response from industry representatives

Safety has been given too much stress. Curbing accidents should be given importance ,but there is nothing beyond that.

The Railway Budget on Wednesday evoked a mixed reaction from the industry body with the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA),welcoming initiatives on railway safety and security while expressing disappointment over no major initiative related to rollout of trains and modernisation.

Safety has been given too much stress. Curbing accidents should be given importance,but there is nothing beyond that, said Chandmal Parmar,chairman of Rail Road Traffic Committee (RRTC) of MCCIA. He welcomed the plan to modernise railway stations. Increase in reservation time from 90 days to four months needs to be lauded, added Parmar.

RRTC member Satish B Shah hailed the announcement of increasing connectivity between different parts of the country and with Nepal and Bangladesh. The Ministers initiatives including the one on Kashmir should be hailed.

A Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) statement hailed the Budget as bold and pragmatic. Its largely in alignment with CIIs pre-budget recommendations,a good balancing act,given the fund constraints. The five-point agenda along with focus on bringing down operating ratio through greater efficiency would go a long way in infusing the necessary momentum to rail infrastructure upgradation, said the statement.

CII added that increase in fares was a prudent step that will help rationalise revenue. The CII welcomed the announcement of an independent safety regulatory authority as a key step forward,said a CII official.

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